Sandra Smyth was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 45. Breast Cancer Awareness month was in October and Sandra decided the way to highlight the need for awareness of the condition was to dye her hair pink.
"I thought this was a good way of doing this and asked family, friends and colleagues to put their hands in their pockets to raise much needed funds for breast cancer," she said.
Sandra received help in turning her hair pink from staff at Colm Cooke's 'Hair by Colm' in the Waterside's Trench Road area.
Having being diagnosed with breast cancer on December 13, 2006, Sandra Smyth was admitted to hospital in February 2007 to undergo the first of two operations.
"I started chemotherapy for a four and half month period at the end of March 2007 before getting radiotherapy in August and September," said Sandra.
In her own words Sandra Smyth described her treatment as a "hell of a process", but said she emerged the other side as a stronger person.
Positivity was also a key factor in Sandra's road to recovery as she said: "To be honest there were very few times when I felt said or depressed about it.
"I had great support from everyone including my family, particularly my parents, who rallied around me through the whole experience. My colleagues at the Environmental Health Department and Derry City Council were great too.
"That's very important when you are ill, it's good to feel part of normal life and it helped lift my spirits up," she said.
As a result of her fundraising efforts in October Sandra was able to present Mr Dace, consultant surgeon at Altnagelvin Hospital for the Breast Care Unit and the Sperrin Room with two cheques, both for £1,800.
Extending her thanks to everyone who contributed Sandra said she was "delighted" with the response to her efforts.